End of Year : Looking Back!!

     As 2020 draws to an end I want to take time to look back over the year. As I started out 2020, I looked forward to new adventures with my girls BSA Troop.  I looked forward to my son's upcoming wedding.  I hoping to go to Germany to visit my dad and step mom.  I was planning a trip to Texas and going to our second NASCAR Race.  I was hitting my weight loss goals.  The year seemed full of adventure and fun.  

     In January, a couple of the girls in my troop started to plan and get ready to compete with our brother troop.  I was enjoying the new year and all it had in store.  We did a winter camp in February and camped in 9 degree weather.  You read that right!!!  Two of our girls did the Klondike Derby with our linked boys troop.  It was a cold weekend, but fun memories were made.  Later in February, I did a training for summer camp that was all set for June.  As March started we welcomed new girls into our troop from our associated pack.

     Then as the second week of March came to an end something I never saw coming was the shutdown of our nation.  Schools closed indefinitely, we were told to stay home to stay healthy, my husband was furloughed the following week, scouts was not able to meet, and we were told church was going online. Our trip to Texas was cancelled.   We were told it will only be a couple weeks and life will get back to normal.  So I set up a zoom meeting for scouts and the family and I gathered around the TV to watch our pastors on Facebook live. At the end of April we welcomed our new daughter-in-law to the family.  Not at a big wedding with family and friends.  Instead it was an small wedding with just parents at the pastors house, with a drive by parade of well wishers. What was supposed to be a couple of weeks turned into a couple of months.

     As summer drew near some things opened up, summer camp was going to take place.  As a troop we decided it was still not safe for camp.  We were able to start meeting outside for scouts and church was able to open with new restrictions.  We learned to dawn a new accessory, of a facemask.  Social distancing is now apart of our everyday vocabulary.  We were able to camp a couple times this year, following local DHMs.  We have a new normal that I know can change at any time.  If that is one thing I learned this year is that life can change in the blink of an eye.  

All of 2020 was not bad,  I have had a good year overall.  We have had more family time,  we gained a daughter-in-law and a grand puppy.  As the year draws to an end I am hoping for a good new year, for health and happiness.  I am hoping the same for your family.

Until Next Time 

Pitters

17 Years Together!!!

      I am writing this about a week after my and my husband's 17th wedding anniversary.  I can't believe it has been 17 years, yet at the same time it does not seem like long enough.  As I reflect over this past year of marriage it has been one of great loss in our family.  We lost my mom, his aunt, and his step dad.  We had a scary couple of weeks of our youngest son being in the hospital, and him have two surgeries.  Marshall was in a car wreck that totaled our car, and another wreck that was an assault and hit and run.  That is right 2 car wrecks in less than a year.  The second one was very little damage to the car, but Marshall was punched twice in the head by the other driver before they took off.  We have like all of you lived with being quarantined, wearing masks, and dealing with a new normal.  We have had many things canceled over the past few months.  As a family we have been blessed to spend more time together, appreciate each other a little more, and to appreciate our extended family and friends more.  

     So how do you celebrate 17 years of marriage during a global pandemic?  Well good question,  we have not completely celebrated yet. Mostly because our anniversary was on a Tuesday. So we are going to be doing something this coming weekend, because life is busy.  We will not be doing something over the top like in years past.  We will most likely spend time at home, but the point is not to make a big production out of it, for a couple of reasons. One being we live in an area that has a high case counts and the numbers are raising. So we rather stay at home.  The other being a like being at home just spending time together.  I am hoping to order from one of our favorite restaurants, cuddle up and watch a movie. The point of any anniversary is to be together and to be thankful for another year together. Sorry for the rambling everyone, but I am just writing from my heart.  I know this is probably  boring to everyone else, but I really want to remember to take time and be thankful.  

Until Next Time,

Pitters

 

Packing for IOLS Training

     As I am writing this I am packing for an adult leader training for Scouts BSA.  The training is called Introduction to Outdoor Leadership Skills.  I am super excited to be camping again soon.  I have not been camping since February.  That is right my friends I said February.  I camped with our girls and our boys troops at a winter camp.  We slept in 9 degree weather over night.  But that is a different story for another time.  

     So for this weekend camp out I will be learning outdoor leadership skills, to help me be a more effective leader to my girls troop.  So as I sit here getting things together I thought I would take a moment at write something up for all of you. In this blog I will share with you what you need to pack for a camp out with scouts.  Many of these this are essential for camping just with your family as well.  

    You are going to want to have a backpack a sturdy one. Clothing for every day you will be camping, depending on how many days I am camping depends on how many pants or shorts I take.  If it is a two night trip I take one plus the one I am wearing.  Most jeans or shorts you can wear twice.   I do pack one shirt for each day plus and one extra. I pack one set of pajamas, usually sweat pant and t-shirt.  Socks and under clothing for everyday plus one.  A hat, two pairs of shoes, I like one pair of tennis shoes and a pair of hiking boots, you never know if it is going to rain, rain gear, jacket or hoodie, any other seasonal clothing.  So when we winter camped I had a winter coat, gloves, stocking camp, snow boots.  I do sometimes sleep in a stocking camp at night if we are camping in early spring or in the fall.  You loose heat off your head.  I also have socks to sleep in for spring, fall and winter camping.  You want a good sleeping bag for all seasons, a mess kit for eating, water bottle, fist aide kit, flash light or head light, toothbrush and tooth paste, brush or comb, soap and wash cloth, I like having dry shampoo, small fire starting kit, sun screen, bug spray and a small pocket knife.  This is a good personal list of gear for camping.  

    I like to pack my clothing in gallon zip lock bags. I also put personal care items in a baggie.  This helps you to find what you need in your backpack and keeps them dry if it rains and your tent gets wet.  I like to wrap my extra shoes in a plastic bag like for the store or if your car is close by I keep them in the car to stay dry.  I also pack a large trash bag or by a backpack rain cover to try help keep the contents of my backpack dry incase of a large rain storm. 

Our family loves camping and I can do more blogs about camping. I can do one on cooking, how to set up camp, how to plan a camping trip, setting up camp, to name a few.   If you have any you would like me to focused on let me know. 

Until Next Time,

Pitters

The Loss of a Mom!

     In early December 2019, I had to say goodbye to my mom.  She had spent most weekends at the hospital from late October until her death.  They would send her home after a couple of days only to have her weaker then before.  The last really good meal she ate was our late Thanksgiving dinner. The Saturday of Thanksgiving week.  The next day she was back in the hospital for an over night stay.  They sent her home telling us she just had a UTI.  They gave her medication and sent her on her way.  On Thursday of that same week she collapsed.  I called the ambulance because we could not get her to her feet.  On the way to the hospital her blood presser dropped drastically.  They could only keep it ok with medication.  I went home from the hospital that night thinking she will be good by morning like before.  I received a phone call around 4 am asking for permission to have my mom receive a blood transfusion.  I then received a call around 8 am telling me to start calling family because they did not expect her to make it.  One of the hardest things to do is be an only child and have to call family to have them come say goodbye to a sister, aunt, friend. 

     All day long we had family and friends up to the hospital to say their goodbyes.  I can't thank many of our friends enough.  So many of them made sure we ate that day, brought meals in the weeks that followed, and did so much more.  It was a long day from the time I got the call to come to the hospital until we left it was 14 or 15 hours.  She passed away at about the 13th hours mark.  But there is so much you have to do after.  I had to make the decision when to stop the medication that was keeping her a live.  It was hard because she was in pain the last few hours until we took her off the medication.  In the end they were able to make her comfortable.  During the day we read Bible passages, prayed and sang worship songs at her bed side.  She was in ruff shape and only my oldest two who are both adults came to say good bye.  We did not want the younger kids to see their grandma like that.  We wanted happy memories to be the lasting ones.

     In the days that followed there was a lot of things to decided.  I am glad to have known her final wishes.  I am glad I was at her bed side when she took her final breath.  I am glad it was just Marshall and I at that time. I know that might sound harsh, but it was peaceful and quiet.  I feel she waited until it was just Marshall and I. The rest of the family and friends had all gone out to the waiting room.  I remember the nurse came in and asked if everyone had said their goodbyes and if any one else should be in the room because it was getting close to her time.  She barely said those words and my mom took her last breath.  Before we could even let her sisters know.  They had been in and out of her room that day.  They had said their goodbyes. 

     Here I am six months after my mom went to be with the Lord. I am just barley able to write this blog.  But I feel this is a good a necessary part of my grieving process.  Sorry if this blog is all over the place, but i am writing from my heart.

Until Next Time,
Pitters

Chicken and Bread Cheese Salad

Ingredients:
1Lb Bread Cheese or Grilling Cheese
1Lb Chicken Tenders unbreaded
1Lb Baby Spinach
1Lb Baby Arugula
1 Lemon
1/2cup,plus some for drizzling
 Olive oil
1Pint Grape Tomatoes
1-2 Zucchini
2-3 peeled Sweet potatoes
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 medium size red onion
1-2 avocado depends on size
1 clove garlic minced
Salt and pepper

1. Pre heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Wash, peel and cube up sweet potatoes. Wash and chunk zucchini. Chunk the red onion.  Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 minutes or until veggie are soft.

2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, grill on a grill pan. Use a drizzle of olive oil for cooking.

3. Zest the lemon and juice.  Chop the cilantro, and mince the garlic. Mix the lemon zest, juice, cilantro, garlic, cumin, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

4. Sliced the bread cheese in 1/2 in thick and 2 inch long chunks. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and lightly brown the cheese on both sides.  Drain on a paper towel.

5. Mix the spinach and arugula in a large bowl. Cut the grape tomatoes in half and place in a separate bowl.

6. Plate: place spinach and arugula mix on a plate. Place all the other ingredients on the plate and top with the chimichurri dressing. Enjoy!